



utN" 

CCPWRIGHT DEPOSIT. 



THE EAfkLY WO^RM 
Of Unhappy Memory. 



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1, 



Oft hath been told the ancient tale. 




Yclept: 'ye early bird,' 

U3ut with great naughtiness, the facts 

Have been but half averred, 
2. 

Once on a time, a little worm, 

— Thus should the story run,-^ 
Arose with unsuspecting trust 
■ To greet the rising sun. 

■'RIGHTED, /88/. ^ ^.YKa/V^y\.-iVC <+ yV. v/»-U^H<if->^£L ^ 



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3' 

Forth from his snug retreat he set, 
— Hard by a moss-grown wood, — 

And whistled gaily as he went, 
—Or would have if he could! 

4- 

He gained the mead, and soon upon 

A fallen log he gat. 
Which well he knew, for oft thereon 
In the warm sun he sat 

5- 
And slept, curled in a little hall 

— For he it known that he 
Was not a comr/ion worm, hut of 




The old Gruh Family 



6, 

Full pleased was he with his own self, 

And as the sun arose, 
He felt like juveniles who feel 
Too big for their small clo 'es. 
7- 



^ut soon into his ear there crept 




A bird's soft rvmistrelsy, 
Which tickled him, Ml he 'fell to' 
And -capered sportively! 



8. 



Alack the day! 




The warbler spied 
The all too giddy mite; 
And while he loved to trill right well 
A worm was his delight. 



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He dropped his song -the better on 
His helpless prey to drop ; 




Then, though his victim strove to fly, 
He poppedu him in his crop. 

10. 

Thus it befel; that early worm 
So good, so prompt at morn. 

Was by his very virtues thus 
From. Ufe and pleasure torn. 



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Yet but himself to blar/te, for if 
He had but kept his bed. 

To rise betimes, some other worm 
Would have been swallow -ed / 



M. 



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